Title:PlayfulAuthor: htbthomas Fandom:Heroes, vaguely set after Season 2, but pretty much a spoiler-free AU.Characters: Peter Petrelli, Heidi Petrelli, Nathan Petrelli, a kittenRating: GWord Count: 599 wordsSummary: Peter and a kitten. Do you need more summary than this? :DAuthor’s Note: A birthday fic for ibonekoen. I hope this cheers you up just a little!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Peter drummed his fingers on the edge of the sofa, and glanced at the mahogany clock on the wall. Almost 1:30pm. If Nathan really wanted to go out to lunch, he was going to have to get dressed a little faster.

Granted, Nathan hadn’t been out of the hospital long. He really didn’t need to take his brother out for lunch when ordering pizza in would have been fine. As long as Mom didn’t show up unexpectedly.

Maybe he could pop out for some good Italian food instead. Direct from Sicily…

Suddenly Peter felt an odd rubbing sensation against his ankle. He looked down, and was surprised to see a small kitten threading between his shoes. “What are you doing here?” Peter murmured, reaching down to stroke it.

It looked so out of place in this formal sitting room, the creamy damask cloth of the sofa shimmering against its dark grey fur. Mom had never let them have so much as a hamster when they were growing up. Too messy. Too smelly. And pet dander! Peter chuckled as he could practically hear her affronted voice in his ears.

He moved his hand to scratch behind the tiny ears, and a loud rumble of a purr started up. Peter smiled and switched to the other ear.

A voice at the entrance to the room made him look up. “He should be just a few more minutes.” Heidi wore an apologetic smile. “He got a phone call. Do you want a cup of tea or something?”

“Naw, I’m okay.” He waved one hand in dismissal, all the while keeping the other on the cat. “When’d you get this little guy? And does Mom know?” He smirked at the last question.

Peter felt a sharp tug on the edge of his sleeve. The kitten had grabbed a trailing string between its teeth, batting it with its paws.

“Playful little guy, isn’t he?”

“Yes, the boys adore him. Just what they need right now.” Her warm smile barely faltered. It was probably only noticeable to another Petrelli. “I’ll go hurry Nathan up for you.”

After Heidi was gone, Peter lifted his sleeve higher into the air, enjoying the way the kitten jumped into the air to try to capture it. He lifted his arm farther, and the kitten scrambled onto the sofa to catch the thread, just out of its reach.

He played that way a few more minutes, and then he noticed a few grey hairs on the cream-colored cushions. Maybe the cat wasn’t allowed on the couch…

By then the little creature was poised on the arm of the sofa, swiping playfully at the dangling thread. Peter lifted his sleeve to move the string over to the space between the sofa and the coffee table. He expected the kitten to skitter across his lap and bounce to the floor…

But instead it made a flying leap from the arm toward the glass table. Which had a pretty sharp corner—

Without really considering it, Peter caught the kitten in the air with his telekinesis.

Strangely enough, the kitten seemed totally unaffected by it. It swiped a paw toward the string again, which dangled just out of reach.

Peter started to slowly float the little thing down toward the floor, when he heard a throat being cleared at the entrance to the room.

His brother Nathan leaned against the archway, one eyebrow raised. “Playing with the cat, huh?”

You definitely succeeded and I added it to my memories for the next time I'm feeling down :D There's just something about kitties that is so cheerful, you know? Even when they're glaring at you, they're still adorable. Or, at least, mine are, lol